The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #65117   Message #1069483
Posted By: Abby Sale
10-Dec-03 - 12:14 PM
Thread Name: Doon the Moor
Subject: Doon the Moor
There are four or so versions in Digital Trad but none help my question:

I'm listening to Peter Bellemy's lovely version of "Doon the Moor."
I can't _quite_ tell just what she's doing there with the dew among the heather. It's kinda interesting that every of the many versions of the song have her doing something different - mostly all Mondegreens of each other.

1) Anyone know fer sure what Bellemy sings?

2) Can any refer me to a Scottish version other than "Skippin' Barfit?"

2 1/2) Has 'Comin thro' the craigs o' Kyle,' been collected by anyone besides Burns?

Bellamy sings:
One morn in May when fields were gay
Serene and pleasant was the weather,
I spied a lass and a very bonnie lass;
She was [....] from the dew from among the heather
        Down the moor.

Some others versions:
I trudged along with the lilt of a song
My heart as light as any feather
Until I met with a very bonnie lass
She was brushing the dew frae amang the heather,
Doon the moor,....

I rode along to the huntsman's song
My heart bein' light as any feather,
Until I met with tha wee lass
A-brushin' the dew from off the heather
Doon the moor etc.

As I was walkin' doon yon hill
It was in a summer evenin',
It was there I spied a bonny lass
Skippin' barfit through the heather.

As I roved along with my hunting song
My heart as light as any feather.
I met a pretty maid upon the way,
She was tripping the dew down from the heather

One morn in May the fields were gay
Serene and pleasant was the weather
I spied a lass and a very bonny lass
She was scoopin dew in among the heather
Down the moor

Notes from Sam Henry's Songs of the People:
Other titles: "Among....," "The Blooming....," "Bonnie Lassie amang...," "Doon (Down) the Moor," "Heather on the Moor," "Herding Lambs amangst...," "The lass amang...," O'er the Muir;" cf. "Far up Yon Wide and Lofty Glens," "Queen amang...," "Skippin Barfit thro the..."